the garden of allah-第57章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


An　eager　look　came　into　her　face。

〃My　road！〃　she　said。

〃Yours？〃

〃The　one　I　shall　travel　on。　You　remember；　Monsieur　Androvsky？〃

〃Yes；　Madame。〃

〃Let　me　into　your　secret；〃　said　the　Count；　laughingly；　yet　with
interest　too。

〃It　is　no　secret。　It　is　only　that　I　love　that　route。　It　fascinates　me；
and　I　mean　some　day　to　make　a　desert　journey　along　it。〃

〃What　a　pity　that　we　cannot　join　forces；〃　the　Count　said。　〃I　should
feel　it　an　honour　to　show　the　desert　to　one　who　has　the　reverence　for
it；　the　understanding　of　its　spell；　that　you　have。〃

He　spoke　earnestly；　paused；　and　then　added：

〃But　I　know　well　what　you　are　thinking。〃

〃What　is　that？〃

〃That　you　will　go　to　the　desert　alone。　You　are　right。　It　is　the　only
way；　at　any　rate　the　first　time。　I　went　like　that　many　years　ago。〃

She　said　nothing　in　assent；　and　Androvsky　got　up　from　the　bench。

〃I　must　go；　Monsieur。〃

〃Already！　But　have　you　seen　the　garden？〃

〃It　is　wonderful。　Good…bye；　Monsieur。　Thank　you。〃

〃Butlet　me　see　you　to　the　gate。　On　Fridays〃

He　was　turning　to　Domini　when　she　got　up　too。

〃Don't　you　distribute　alms　on　Fridays？〃　she　said。

〃How　should　you　know　it？〃

〃I　have　heard　all　about　you。　But　is　this　the　hour？〃

〃Yes。〃

〃Let　me　see　the　distribution。〃

〃And　we　will　speed　Monsieur　Androvsky　on　his　way　at　the　same　time。〃

She　noticed　that　there　was　no　question　in　his　mind　of　her　going　with
Androvsky。　Did　she　mean　to　go　with　him？　She　had　not　decided　yet。

They　walked　towards　the　gate　and　were　soon　on　the　great　sweep　of　sand
before　the　villa。　A　murmur　of　many　voices　was　audible　outside　in　the
desert；　nasal　exclamations；　loud　guttural　cries　that　sounded　angry；
the　twittering　of　flutes　and　the　snarl　of　camels。

〃Do　you　hear　my　pensioners？〃　said　the　Count。　〃They　are　always
impatient。〃

There　was　the　noise　of　a　tomtom　and　of　a　whining　shriek。

〃That　is　old　Bel　Cassem's　announcement　of　his　presence。　He　has　been
living　on　me　for　years；　the　old　ruffian；　ever　since　his　right　eye　was
gouged　out　by　his　rival　in　the　affections　of　the　Marechale　of　the
dancing…girls。　Smain！〃

He　blew　his　silver　whistle。　Instantly　Smain　came　out　of　the　villa
carrying　a　money…bag。　The　Count　took　it　and　weighed　it　in　his　hand；
looking　at　Domini　with　the　joyous　expression　still　upon　his　face。

〃Have　you　ever　made　a　thank…offering？〃　he　said。

〃No。〃

〃That　tells　me　something。　Well；　to…day　I　wish　to　make　a　thank…offering
to　the　desert。〃

〃What　has　it　done　for　you？〃

〃Who　knows？　Who　knows？〃

He　laughed　aloud；　almost　like　a　boy。　Androvsky　glanced　at　him　with　a
sort　of　wondering　envy。

〃And　I　want　you　to　share　in　my　little　distribution；〃　he　added。　〃And
you；　Monsieur；　if　you　don't　mind。　There　are　moments　when　Open　the
gate；　Smain！〃

His　ardour　was　infectious　and　Domini　felt　stirred　by　it　to　a　sudden
sense　of　the　joy　of　life。　She　looked　at　Androvsky；　to　include　him　in
the　rigour　of　gaiety　which　swept　from　the　Count　to　her；　and　found　him
staring　apprehensively　at　the　Count；　who　was　now　loosening　the　string
of　the　bag。　Smain　had　reached　the　gate。　He　lifted　the　bar　of　wood　and
opened　it。　Instantly　a　crowd　of　dark　faces　and　turbaned　heads　were
thrust　through　the　tall　aperture；　a　multitude　of　dusky　hands　fluttered
frantically；　and　the　cry　of　eager　voices；　saluting；　begging；　calling
down　blessings；　relating　troubles；　shrieking　wants；　proclaiming
virtues　and　necessities；　rose　into　an　almost　deafening　uproar。　But　not
a　foot　was　lifted　over　the　lintel　to　press　the　sunlit　sand。　The
Count's　pensioners　might　be　clamorous；　but　they　knew　what　they　might
not　do。　As　he　saw　them　the　wrinkles　in　his　face　deepened　and　his
fingers　quickened　to　achieve　their　purpose。

〃My　pensioners　are　very　hungry　to…day；　and；　as　you　see；　they　don't
mind　saying　so。　Hark　at　Bel　Cassem！〃

The　tomtom　and　the　shriek　that　went　with　it　made　it　a　fierce
crescendo。

〃That　means　he　is　starvingthe　old　hypocrite！　Aren't　they　like　the
wolves　in　your　Russia；　Monsieur？　But　we　must　feed　them。　We　mustn't　let
them　devour　our　Beni…Mora。　That's　it！〃

He　threw　the　string　on　to　the　sand；　plunged　his　hand　into　the　bag　and
brought　it　out　full　of　copper　coins。　The　mouths　opened　wider；　the
hands　waved　more　frantically；　and　all　the　dark　eyes　gleamed　with　the
light　of　greed。

〃Will　you　help　me？〃　he　said　to　Domini。

〃Of　course。　What　fun！〃

Her　eyes　were　gleaming　too；　but　with　the　dancing　fires　of　a　gay
impulse　of　generosity　which　made　her　wish　that　the　bag　contained　her
money。　He　filled　her　hands　with　coins。

〃Choose　whom　you　will。　And　now；　Monsieur！〃

For　the　moment　he　was　so　boyishly　concentrated　on　the　immediate
present　that　he　had　ceased　to　observe　whether　the　whim　of　others
jumped　with　his　own。　Otherwise　he　must　have　been　struck　by　Androvsky's
marked　discomfort；　which　indeed　almost　amounted　to　agitation。　The
sight　of　the　throng　of　Arabs　at　the　gateway；　the　clamour　of　their
voices；　evidently　roused　within　him　something　akin　to　fear。　He　looked
at　them　with　distaste；　and　had　drawn　back　several　steps　upon　the　sand；
and　now；　as　the　Count　held　out　to　him　a　hand　filled　with　money；　he
made　no　motion　to　take　it；　and　half　turned　as　if　he　thought　of
retreating　into　the　recesses　of　the　garden。

〃Here；　Monsieur！　here！〃　exclaimed　the　Count；　with　his　eyes　on　the
crowd；　towards　which　Domini　was　walking　with　a　sort　of　mischievous
slowness；　to　whet　those　appetites　already　so　voracious。

Androvsky　set　his　teeth　and　took　the　money；　dropping　one　or　two　pieces
on　the　ground。　For　a　moment　the　Count　seemed　doubtful　of　his　guest's
participation　in　his　own　lively　mood。

〃Is　this　boring　you？〃　he　asked。　〃Because　if　so〃

〃No；　no；　Monsieur；　not　at　all！　What　am　I　to　do？〃

〃Those　hands　will　tell　you。〃

The　clamour　grew　more　exigent。

〃And　when　you　want　more　come　to　me！〃

Then　he　called　out　in　Arabic；　〃Gently！　Gently！〃　as　the　vehement
scuffling　seemed　about　to　degenerate　into　actual　fighting　at　Domini's
approach；　and　hurried　forward；　followed　more　slowly　by　Androvsky。

Smain；　from　whose　velvety　eyes　the　dreams　were　not　banished　by　the
uproar；　stood　languidly　by　the　porter's　tent；　gazing　at　Androvsky。
Something　in　the　demeanour　of　the　new　visitor　seemed　to　attract　him。
Domini；　meanwhile；　had　reached　the　gateway。　Gently；　with　a　capricious
deftness　and　all　a　woman's　passion　for　personal　choice；　she　dropped
the　bits　of　money　into　the　hands　belonging　to　the　faces　that　attracted
her；　disregarding　the　bellowings　of　those　passed　over。　The　light　from
all　these　gleaming　eyes　made　her　feel　warm；　the　clamour　that　poured
from　these　brown　throats　excited　her。　When　her　fingers　were　empty　she
touched　the　Count's　arm　eagerly。

〃More；　more；　please！〃

〃Ecco；　Signora。〃

He　held　out　to　her　the　bag。　She　plunged　her　hands　into　it　and　came
nearer　to　the　gate；　both　hands　full　of　money　and　held　high　above　her
head。　The　Arabs　leapt　up　at　her　like　dogs　at　a　bone；　and　for　a　moment
she　waited；　laughing　with　all　her　heart。　Then　she　made　a　movement　to
throw　the　money　over　the　heads　of　the　near　ones　to　the　unfortunates
who　were　dancing　and　shrieking　on　the　outskirts　of　the　mob。　But
suddenly　her　hands　dropped　and　she　uttered　a　startled　exclamation。

The　sand…diviner　of　the　red　bazaar；　slipping　like　a　reptile　under　the
waving　arms　and　between　the　furious　bodies　of　the　beggars；　stood　up
before　her　with　a　smile　on　his　wounded　face；　stretched　out　to　her　his
emaciated　hands　with　a　fawning；　yet　half　satirical；　gesture　of　desire。



CHAPTER　XII

The　money　dropped　from　Domini's　fingers　and　rolled　upon　the　sand　at
the　Diviner's　feet。　But　though　he　had　surely　come　to　ask　for　alms；　he
took　no　heed　of　it。　While　the　Arabs　round　him　fell　upon　their　knees
and　fought　like　animals　for　the　plunder；　he　stood　gaping　at　Domini。
The　smile　still　flickered　about　his　lips。　His　hand　was　still　stretched
out。

Instinctively　she　had　moved　backwards。　Something　that　was　like　a
thrill　of　fear；　mental；　not　physical；　went　through　her；　but　she　kept
her　eyes　steadily　on　his；　as　if；　despite　the　fear；　she　fought　against
him。

The　contest　of　the　beggars　had　become　so　passionate　that　Count
Anteoni's　commands　were　forgotten。　Urged　by　the　pressure　from　behind
those　in　the　front